Pneumatic folding mechanism for printing-presses.



s. e. eoss.

Patented Oct. 12,1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1- PNEUMATIC FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 12, .1908.

ANDREW B. GRAHAM o0" PNOTO-LfTHOGRAPHERS. wlsmuorou. B a.

s. e. e os s;

PNEUMATIC FOLDING MEGHANISM FOB PRINTING PRESSES. APPLICATION FILED DEC.12, 1908.

Patented Oct. 12,1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANBREW. B. ERMA" w- PHDTn-LITNDGRAPKERS, WISWNBTDN. D- O.

A s. e. eoss.. PNEUMATIC FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909. 6 SHEETS-SHEBT 3.

a o w M n 1 m W D m D 611 m 1 m m a N Z A, N El m m m w T M m u w I I nP A s. G. e0ss.' PNEUMATIC FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

- APPLICATION PILEDJDBO. 12, 1908. 936,711.

5U 51 H W -1 Patented Oct. 12,1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

- s. G. eoss. PNEUMATIC FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PBESSES.APPLICATION FILED DBO.12, 1908.

936,711. Patented Oct. 12,1909.

i 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

ANDREW a. mums w. PHOTO-LIIHDGRAPHERS, WASNIHGION, n. c.

s. a. eoss. PNEUMATIGFOLDING MEGHANISM FOB PRINTING PBESSBS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 12, 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Patented 0ct.12,1909.

see A SAMUEL Gr. GOSS, -01? CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOSSPRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 190 9.

Application filed December 12, 1908. Serial No. 467,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. Gross, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic FoldingMechanism for Printing-Presses, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to folding mechanism for printing presses andparticularly to improvements in folding mechanism, by which the paper isthrown into the bite of the folding rollers by the action of compressedair, of the general character shown and described by me in myapplication for Letters Patent, Ser. No. 462,489, now pendmg.

The object of my invention is to provide new and improvedpneumatically-operated folding mechanism for printing presses andparticularly to improve upon the type of folding mechanism shown anddescribed in my said pending application, Ser. No. 462,489.

More particularly still the object of my invention is to provide new andimproved folding mechanism by means of which the folded sheets, givenone cross fold, commonly known as the commercial fold, may be directedinto a delivery apparatus designed to deliver them in this condition, ormay be directed into a second folding and delivery mechanism which willproduce a second fold, commonly known as the mailing fold and deliverthem in that condition.

A. further object of my invention is to improve uponpneumatically-operated folding parts as are shown at the right in Fig.3,-

showing the mechanism for giving the commercial fold arranged to directthe folded sheet into the second folding mechanism for giving it a thirdfold; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail, being a broken-away end view of theparts seen from the right in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, beinga top or plan view of the mechanism for giving the first transverse foldand of the guide rollers which direct the transversely-folded sheet intothe mail folding mechanism; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, being avertical section through a portion of the folding mechanism for givingthe first transverse or commercial fold, being a vertical sectionthrough the box, blow-pipe and folding rolls; Fig. 8 is an enlargeddetail, being a view of the gear which drives the upper folding roll onthe first transverse folding mechanism and of the gear on the frame bywhich it is driven, showing in dotted lines the second position of thefolding roll gear when the frame for supporting the folding mechanism isturned to direct the sheets in the other direction; Fig. 9 is anenlarged detail, being a vertical section through the box, blow-pipe andfoldingrolls of the mechanism for giving the third or mail fold; Fig. 10is an enlarged detail, being an isometric view of one end of the boxsupporting the blow-pipe; Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail, being a sectionthrough one of the operating valves controlling the air; and Fig. 12 isan enlarged detail, being a section on line 1212 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings,13 indicates the main folder frame and 14 thesecondary folder frame, which aremounted on a bedplate 15.

16 indicates the driving-shaft of the folder, upon which is mounted themain drivinggear 17. The main driving-shaft 16 extends through the pressto the other side and has upon its other end a gear (not shown) of thesame size as the main driving-gear 17. This gear upon the other end ofthe driving-shaft 16 lies directly behind the main drivinggear 17 inFig. 1 and behind the other gearing shown at the left in Fig. 2, andtherefore does not appear in the drawings. As it is simply an ordinarydriving-gear which operates to drive the other gears hereinafterdescribed it will be readily understood withparts hereinafter describedare driven. The

gear 18 meshes with and is driven by the gear (not shown) on the end ofthe driveshaft 16 opposite to the end on which the main driving-gear 17is mounted.

44L indicates a beveled gear mounted upon a shaft 19 of the gear 19which gear 44. meshes with a beveled gear 45 which is mounted upon theshaft 39 of the gear 39.

46 (Fig. 1) indicates the point of the ordinary V-shaped former overwhich the paper is fed between folding rolls 47- 18 to receive its firstor longitudinal fold. As this V-shaped former is of the well-known typeand description and forms no part of my present invention 1 have notshown it more fully and think it unnecessary to describe the same.

t950 indicate cutting cylinders between which the paper longitudinallyfolded over the former passes down to the first crossfolding mechanismhereinafter described. The cutting cylinder 50 is provided with a knife51 which cooperates with a groove 52 to transversely sever the web ofpaper, and the cutting cylinders, as shown, are pref erably, in the formin which I embody my present invention, of a circumference equal to onesheet length. The knife 51 and the groove 52 are carried by the usualremovable blocks which are of the well-known form and constructioncarried by the cutting cylinders in the usual manner, as is best shownin Fig. 4 of the drawings. One of these cutting eylindersas50diametrically opposite the cutting knife 51 is provided with a groove53 which coacts with a crease marker 5% on the other cylinderdiametrically opposite the cutting groove 52 to form a crease midwaybetween the ends of the severed sheetto mark and start the firsttransverse fold. The cross marker 54: and groove 53 are also mountedupon and carried by removable blocks of the same form and constructionand mounted in the cylinders 19 and 50 in the same way as the blockscarrying the cutting knife and groove 51 and 52.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4L and 6, where these parts are best shown, 55indicates a frame in which is rigidly secured a box 56 which, by meansof suitable bearings 57 (see also Fig. 10), is secured at each end tostud shafts 58 journaled in the frame of the machine. The frame and thebox thus form a united structure which may be turned on the stud shafts58 so as to face in either direction shown in Fig. 3 or that shown inFig. 1.

"The box 56 is open toward the interior of the frame 55 and supportswithin it a blowpipe 59 which faces the bite of folding rollers 6061which are journaled in the frame 55 and are carried around with it. Uponthe shaft of the upper roller 60 is secured at one end a gear 62 whichmeshes with the gear 28 (see Figs. 3, 6 and 8). The folding rollersthemselves are geared to run together by means ofthe gears 29 and 30above referred to and rotate, of course, in the direction indicated byarrows on Fig. 7. The blow-pipe 59, which is preferably of a some whathorseshoe shape but narrow at its blowing edge is of a lengthcorresponding generally with the length of the folding rollers 6061 andis provided at its edge which faces the bite of these rollers with anarrow discharge opening 63 whereby when a quick blast of compressed airis forced through the opening 63 the crease previously formed in thepaper when the sheet is in proper position will be forced between thebite of the folding rollers 6061 and the sheet folded in the mannerhereinafter described.

64@65 indicate air-compressing pumps which are mounted on the bed-plate15 of the machine and are driven by suitable cran; arms. For example,the pump 6 1 is driven by a crank arm 66 located on the shaft 31 of thegear 31..

67 indicates a pipe which leads from the pump 6 1 to a rotary valve 68mounted on the framework of the machine. This valve, so far as mypresent invention is concerned, may be of any approved character adaptedto quickly open and shut off, but I prefer to use the type of valveshown and described in my said application Ser. No. 162,489, abovereferred to, and which said valve will be hereinafter described so faras is necessary for the purposes of this application.

69 indicates a pipe, which leads upward from the valve 68 and connectswith the stud-shaft 58 on which the frame 55 is supported. The manner ofconnection is best shown in Fig. 12. The stud-shaft 58 is pro vided nearits outer end with a central longitudinal bore 70, which near the outerend of the stud-shaft turns at right angles into borings 7172diametrically opposite each other and extending to the surface of thestud-shaft 58.

7 3 indicates a ring, which is screwed upon the outer end of thestud-shaft 58 and is provided with diametrically disposed openings 7475which register with the openings 7172.

76 indicates a packing-box, which is revolubly mounted upon thestud-shaft 58 outside of the framework and provided with a peripheralflange 77 which bears air tight upon the periphery of the ring 73.

78 indicates packing, which is interposed between the ring 73 and thepacking-box 76.

It will be obvious from the above descrip tion that any air which isadmitted by the valve into the pipe 69 will pass into the boring 70.

79 indicates a pipe, the end of which is screwed into said stud shaft 58and communicates at its inner end with the opening 70. By means of aplurality of short pipes 80 the pipe 79 is connected with the blowpipe59 so that compressed air admitted into the pipe 79 will pass into theblow-pipe and out through its discharge orifice.

81 indicates guides, which are vertically disposed when the frame 55 isin operative position and which operate to guide the sheet of paperpassing downward between the cutting cylinders into proper positionbetween the orifice of the blow-pipe 59 and the folding rollers.

82 indicates guides mounted on the frame 55 with the passage betweenthem in register with the bite between the folding rollers 60-61, whichguides when turned to the right as in Fig. 3 are adapted to direct thesheet of paper between the folding rollers in what is known as acommercial fold to the S-fiy delivery 83 and slow-moving tapes 84 bymeans of ordinary tapes 85 on rollers 8687 and by means of the ordinaryguide 88. As this S-fly delivery, slow-moving tapes, guide and guidetapes are well known and form no part of my present invention, it isbelieved it is unnecessary to describe them further here. The guides 82,when turned to the left as in Fig. 4, direct the folded sheet of paperinto the second folding apparatus for giving to the paper a third foldas hereinafter described. The frame 55 is turned upon its bearings,above described, by means of a handle 89 (see Figs. 1 and 5) which,rotating the frame a half a revolution in the direction shown by thearrow in Figs. 3 and 8, will cause the guides 82 to face either to theright as shown in Fig. 3, or to the left as shown in Fig. 4.

The valve 68, which is shown in detail in Fig. 11, is preferably, as wassaid above, of the kind and mode of operation shown and described indetail in my above-named'application Ser. No. 462,489, and as claimshave been made upon it in said application it does not by itself form apart of my present application. To generally describe its operation,however, and referring to Figs. 1 and 11, 90 indicates a valve casinginto which open the tubes or air pipes 67 and.

69. 91 indicates a rotary valve member inclosed in the cylindricalcasing 90 and provided with a central opening 92 and discharge openings93 94 opening therefrom to the periphery of the valve 91. The dischargeopenings 93-94 are so placed that when the valve 91 is turned they willsimultaneously be brought into and then out of register with theopenings of the pipes 67 -69 into the casing 90. 95 indicates avalvestem, which is secured to the outer end of the rotary valve 91exterior to the casing 90 and provided on its outer end with a pin 96.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 97 indicates a disk, which is keyed to theshaft 33 of the gear 33, the disk 97 being at the front and the gear atthe rear end of said shaft 33. The disk 97 is provided with anarc-shaped slot 98 concentric with the disk, in which moves a pin 99which is secured to a disk 100 (see Fig. 2) loosely mounted upon theshaft 33. 101 indicates a support, which is secured to the frame 13 andis provided with avertical slot 102. 103 indicates a block which isslidingly mounted in the slot 102 and is connected by a link 104 to thepin 99. 105 indicates an arm which is pivotally mounted near its centeron the framework 13 and is provided with a slot 106 at one end whichengages the pin 96 on the crank arm 95 of the valve-stem. The other endis pivotally connected with the sliding block 103. 107 indicates a blockwhich is rotatably mounted on the arm 105' at its pivotal point. 108indicates a pin which is slidingly mounted at one end in the rotatableblock 107 and at the other end is pivotally connected with the slidingblock 103, a spiral spring 109 being interposed between them. 110indicates a support, which is rotatably mounted upon an arm 111 of thesupport 101. 112 indicates a pin, one end of which is slidingly mountedin the rotatable block 110 through a suitable opening therein, and theother end is pivotally connected with the sliding block 103, a spiralspring 113 being interposed.

The operation of these devices is as follows: The disk 97, being drivenin the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, is carried arounduntil the end of the slot 98 contacts with the pin 99 which is thencarried around with it, the sliding block 103 being moved in the slot102 by means of the link 104 and moving, of course, the lever 105 andthe pins 108 and 112, the slot 106 on the end of the lever 105 travelingupward on the pin 96. As soon as the block, however, has reached such aposition that the spring-seated pins pass centers, the springsimmediately operate in the manner of a toggle-joint lever to instantlyand quickly throw the block to the end of the slot, either upward ordownward according to the direction in which they are moving The partsbeing so adjusted that justat the time when the pins are at centers theend of the slot 106 in the lever 105 contacts the pin 96, the valve willbe instantly given a partial rotation by the sudden further movement ofthe parts above described, causing the openings in the valve to comeinto register with the pipes in the valve casing, admitting compressedair through the valve and-into the blow-pipe, as above described, andalmost instantly closing again. The advantages of this valve mechanismare that it operates rapidly so that the action of the air in forcingthe sheet between the folding rollers may be instantaneous and also thatat whatever point the press stops the valve is always closed. It isbelieved that the operation of the valve will be understood for thepurposes of this application from the above descriptionwithout furtherdetail. It, as has been said, forms no part of my present invention,being shown and claimed in said pending application, and so far as mypresent invention is concerned any valve having a suitable operationmight be used in its place.

The operation of the parts so far described is as follows: The frame 55being turned so that the guides 82 may face in the direction shown inFig. 3, the paper, longitudinally folded as above described, passesbetween the cutting cylinders where the sheet is creased midway betweenits ends and severed. The parts are so adjusted that at the moment thesheet is transversely severed the middle of the sheet with itstransversely-creased edge is opposite the bite of the folding rollers6061. At this moment the valve 68 opens and the compressed air suppliedby the pump 6 1 causes an instantaneous and strong blast to issue fromthe blowpipe in the form of a thin sheet of air, which striking thetransversely-creased central line of the sheet throws it into the biteof the folding rollers, between which the sheet is folded and deliveredto the S-fiy, as above described. The paper thus delivered will have alongitudinal fold from coming over the former and one transversefold-that is to say, will be folded in what is known as a commercialfold.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4: and (3, 11 1 indicates guideswhich, when the guides 82 are in the position shown in Fig. 4, areadapted to receive the sheet and guide it between tapes 115116 which aremounted, respectively, on rollers 117 and 118, and which are driven bythe gears 3738. The roller 118 is provided with a central crease 119which cooperates with a creasing roller 120 to centrally crease thesheets delivered from the guides 82 in the manner hereinafter described.121 indicates folding rollers, which are mounted in the secondaryframework 1% and are driven by gears t2t3. 122 (see Fig. 9) indicatesguideplates, which are mounted above the rollers 121 with the openingbetween them in alinement with the bite of the folding rollers 121.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 9, where these parts are best shown, 128indicates a box or casing which is mounted in the secondary folder frame1 1 above and with its opening facing the folding rollers 121. 121indicates a blow-pipe which is mounted in the casing 123 with itsdischarge opening opposite the bite of the folding rollers 121. Theblowpipe 124i is the same shape as the blow-pipe 59 above described, andis provided at its projecting edge with a narrow slit or opening 125adapted to discharge a thin sheet of air between the folding rollers121.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 126 indicates a pipe which leads upwardfrom the pump and opens into a rotary valve 127. 128 indicates a pipewhich opens from the valve 127 into a pipe 129, which by means of shortpipes 130 communicates with the interior of the blow-pipe 124: so thatwhen the valve 127 is operated air under pressure will be dischargedinto the blow-pipe 124 and out of the slot 125 between the foldingrollers 121. The valve 127 is preferably exactly like the valve 68 abovedescribed and operates in the same mannerthat is to say, by means oftoggle-joint lever mechanism 131 operated by a link 132 and plates133-134e As these parts operate precisely as the corresponding parts inthe valve hereinabove described, and

by themselves form no part of my present invention, it is believed thatit is not necessary to further describe them here. 136 indicates theusual S-fly, which delivers the sheets folded by the rolls 121 toslow-moving tapes 137. As this delivery mechanism forms no part of mypresent invention and any other well-known form may be used I believe itis unnecessary to describe the same here.

The parts last above described operate as follows: The frame 55 havingbeen turned in the position shown in Fig. 41- so that the guides 82 facethe bit of the tapes 11511G, the paper, longitudinally folded, creasedand cut, as before, passes downward through the guides 81 and is foldedby the blast of air issuing from the slot 68 in the blow-pipe 59 andinto the bite of the folding rolls and by the folding rolls 60-431 andis delivered by said folding rolls between the guides 82 into the biteof the tapes 115-116. Thus folded once longitudinally and oncetransversely, the paper carried along by the tapes 11511(3 is centrallycreased longitudinally of its present run by the creaser 120 working inthe peripheral groove 119 and is carried forward by the tapes over thefolding rolls 121 until its forward edge is brought into contact with astop 138 with its crease lying opposite the bite of the folding rollers121, as is shown in Fig. 9. The parts are so timed that just at thismoment the valve opens and a thin sheet of air issuing from theblow-pipe 124- impinges upon the crease in the paper and forces it intothe bite of the folding rollers 121 by which it is given a third foldacross the line of the second fold and the paper in what is known as themail fold shape is delivered to the delivery mechanism. In order thatthe paper may be creased in the proper direction when directed into thesecond folding mechanism as last-above described, it will be understoodof course that the blocks which carry the creasing groove 53 and creasemarker 54 will be removed and interchanged so that the creasing groovewill be carried on cylinder 49 and the crease marker on cylinder 50.

' That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is,

1.. In a folding machine, the combination with a frame adapted to beadjusted in either one of a plurality of positions, folding rollersmounted in said frame, and pneumatic mechanism carried on said frame andhaving a discharge orifice opposite the bite of said folding rolls andadapted to discharge a blast of air into the bite of said foldingrollers and force a sheet of paper into the bite of said foldingrollers.

2. In a folding machine,.the combination with a frame, guides on saidframe and means for turning said frame and guides to face in either oneof a plurality of positions of folding rollers carried by said frame inregistry with said guides, and pneumatic mechanism carried on said frameand having a discharge orifice opposite the bite of said folding rollsand adapted to discharge a blast of air into the bite of said foldingrolls and force a sheet of paper into the bite of said folding rollers.

3. In a folding machine, the combination with a frame, guides on saidframe and means for turning said frame and guides so as to face ineither one of a plurality of positions, of folding rollers carried bysaid frame in registry with said guides, a blow-pipe carried on saidframe having an opening facing the bite of said folding rollers, andmeans for forcing a stream of air through said opening and force a sheetof paper'into the bite of said folding rollers.

4. The combination with sheet-forwarding means, a delivery and a secondfolding mechanism, of a frame having guides adapted to be turned eithertoward said delivery or said second folding mechanismyandpneumatically-operated folding mechanism mounted on said frame andadapted to fold the sheet and deliver the same to said guides.

5. The combination with sheet-forwarding means, a delivery and a secondfolding mechanism, of a frame, sheet guides on said frame, said framebeing adapted to be turned so that said guides may be directed eithertoward said delivery or said second sheet folding mechanism, foldingrollers on said frame in registry with said guides, means carried bysaid frame for directing a blast of air into the bite of said foldingrollers, and valve mechanism for controlling said air-blowing mechanism.

6. The combination with sheet-forwarding mechanism, a delivery mechanismand a second folding mechanism having folding rollers and mechanism fordirecting a blast of air into the bite of said folding rollers, of aframe, guides on said frame, said frame being adapted to be turned sothat said guides may face either said delivery mechanism or said secondfolding mechanism, folding rolls carried by said frame and adapted tofold a sheet and deliver the same to said guides, a blow-pipe adapted todeliver a blast of air into the bite of said folding rolls, and valvemechanism adapted to automatically admit compressed air to said blowpipewhen the sheet is in folding relation with respect to said foldingrolls.

7. The combination with cutting mechanism, crease-forming means adaptedto trans versely crease a sheet of paper between its front and rearmargins, sheet delivery mechanism, and a mail-fold mechanism, comprisinga pair of folding rollers, a blow-pipe and means for discharging a blastof air into the bite of said rollers, of a frame, folding rollers onsaid frame, sheet guides on said frame in registry with said foldingrollers and adapted to receive a folded sheet delivered thereby, meansfor delivering a blast of air into the bite of said folding rollers whenthe transverse crease in said sheet is in registry therewith, and meansfor turning said frame so that said guides may face either said deliveryor said mail-folding mechanism.

8. The combination with rotary cutting mechanism, crease-forming meanson said cutting mechanism adapted to transversely crease a sheet ofpaper between its front and rear margins, sheet delivery mechanism, anda mail-fold mechanism, comprising a pair of folding rollers, a blow-pipeand means for dischar ing a blast of air into the bite of said ro lers,of a frame, folding rollers on said frame, sheet guides on said frame inregistry with said folding rollers and adapted to receive a folded sheetdelivered thereby, means for delivering a blast of air into the bite ofsaid folding rollers when the transverse crease in said sheet is inregistry therewith, and means for turning said frame so that said guidesmay face either said delivery or said mail-folding mechanism.

9. In a' folding machine, the combination with sheet-forwarding means, adelivery, and a second folding mechanism, of a frame, folding rollersmounted in said frame, means carried by said frame for forcing a sheetof paper into the bite of said folding rollers, and means for turningsaid frame l anism or said additional folding mechanism,-

so'that said folding rollers may forward said folding rollers on saidframe registering sheet either to said delivery mechanism or to l withsaid guides, and means carried by said said second folding mechanism.frame for forcing a sheet of paper into the 5 10. In a folding machine,the combination l bite of said folding rollers.

with sheet forwarding mechanism, a de- Al\ ET llvery and an additionalfolding mechanism, S {U J (T (1085 of a frame, sheet guides on saldframe, means Whtnesses: for turning sald frame so that sald guldesCHARLES E. Plolmm),

10 may face toward either said delivery mech- MINNIE A. HUNTER.

